Pan's Labyrinth:

"Because the paths of the Lord are inscrutable; because the essence of His forgiveness lies in His word and in His mystery; because although God sends us the message, it is our task to decipher it. Because when we open our arms the earth takes in only a hollow and senseless shell. Far away is the soul in its eternal glory. Because it is in pain that we find the meaning of life and the state of grace that we lose when we are born. Because God, in His infinite wisdom, puts the solution in our hands. And because it is only in His physical absence, that the place He occupies in our souls is reaffirmed."

An excellent film on so many levels. I'm not sure how I missed it before, but it is definitely worth renting.

"God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." John 3:16

Long time, no see. It's almost five years since I began this blog and over a year since I last posted. Seems like everyone has a blog nowadays. Where does time go? I still remember Mick Jagger singing 'Tiiiiiime, time is on my side. Yes, it is'. I'll bet that he hasn't sung that in a while. Not when he's looking at Keith Richards, that's for sure. I guess that we should be grateful for time. Otherwise, everything would happen all at once. Although, that sometimes how I feel.

Tempis fugit. I'm outta time. See ya. Wouldn't want to be ya.

Have a Happy Easter.

The Golden Globes seem to be extremely out of touch with the American movie going public. I can't believe that Brokeback Mountain won for best picture. There wasn't a decent family picture in the five nominated. I can think of at least 10 films that were better last year, and there were probably a few dozen more:

1. The Chronicals of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the wardrobe
2. King Kong
3. Cinderella Man
4. War of the Worlds
5. March of the Penguins
6. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
7. The Producers
8. Memoirs of a Geisha
9. Walk the Line
10. Crash

We have to stop letting 92 foreign journalists influence Hollywood.
Clearly they wouldn't know a good film if it fell on them.

Happy New Year! It seems like only yesterday that I was working on Y2K problems. Now I'm working on W2K3 problems. So it goes.

Wolf Tracks

The wolf stands on the edge of the clearing,
his steely eyes surveying the dark tundra.

He is alone but not lonely,
hungry but not afraid.

Somehow, he knows that he has been here before,
but won't pass this way again.

He has miles left to his journey,
and many rivers yet to cross.

The silvery moon beckons in the cold distance,
just as the wind begins to howl.

Suddenly, he shakes the dust from his paws,
and silently he is gone.

C.Maze

Omar "The Tentmaker" Khayyam
---------------------------------------------
And when Thyself with shining Foot shall pass
Among the Guests Star-scatter'd on the Grass,
And in thye joyous Errand reach the Spot
Where I made one - turn down an empty Glass!
Taman Shud (It is completed)

"The genetic makeup of every human is 99.9% identical. Only 0.1% of our genetic endowment distinguishes one person from another." - National Geographic Research
***
That's a remarkable statistic if it's true. Of course, since they haven't examined every person; the statement is a little weak. Surely there must be mutants who fall outside the range. Even so, it does make one wonder what will happen when someone starts altering the genetic makeup of mankind. A race of centaurs, half man and half horse, might be created. I hope it doesn't come to that. There are some things that shouldn't be messed with.

I just finished the newest Hary Potter; The Half-Blood Prince. J.K. Rowling is getting better with every book. I like how she seems to bring organizational behavior into the plots. Knowing who to trust can be a very important skill whether you're in a corporate world, politics, or a wizard as in the book. It will be interesting to see how she ties everything together in the seventh and final book. Definitely something to look forward to.

It's the dog days of summer. Wouldn't it be cool if you actually became a dog during the dog days. Kind of like a vacation from the stress of being human. Rent past due, so what? High gas prices, who cares? Taxes too high, fuggedaboutit. Your worst problem would be fleas that you couldn't quite reach. Anything else you don't like, just piss on it.
I'm not sure what kind of dog that I'd like to be. I could be a bulldog like my high school mascot, but they look a little bit too much like Winston Churchill. I used to own a beagle which would be a great dog to be. Eat, sleep, run, sniff around, get head petted, play with rubber bone; it's a full day. I saw a picture of a puggle which is a cross between a pug and a beagle. That might be a good dog. I definitely would not want to be a wiener dog. That would just be embarrassing. Truly what I would like to be is a wolf; particularly if everyone else was a dog.

The moving finger writes
And having writ, moves on.
Nor all your piety nor wit
Shall lure it back to cancel half a line
Nor all your tears wash out a word of it.
---Omar Khayyam

We judge ourselves by our intentions; others judge us by our actions.

Lance Armstrong wins number seven! That has to be one of the most incredible stories of recent history. To be diagnosed with cancer, go thru chemotherapy, and then win the Tour de France seven times is unbelievable. Even in a movie, no one would believe the ending. Of course, even if he had not won, he would be a remarkable person just for trying. Way to go, Lance!

"A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step." ---- Lao Tzu
I wonder why reading this statement always makes me feel like taking a nap.

"I've read the last page of the Bible. It's all going to turn out all right."
Billy Graham

"IF" by Rudyard Kipling

If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or, being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or, being hated, don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise;

If you can dream - and not make dreams your master;
If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with triumph and disaster
And treat those two imposters just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to broken,
And stoop and build 'em up with wornout tools;

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breath a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on";

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with kings - nor lose the common touch;
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you;
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run -
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And - which is more - you'll be a Man my son!

---------------------------------------------------
One of my all time favorite poems. Truly inspired.

Love many, trust a few, but always paddle your own canoe.

It's still early, but I think that "Cinderella Man" should be the picture of the year. Ronnie Howard is really becoming a great director. He must have learned a lot while growing up as Opie. A lot of the lessons he learned in Mayberry come out in his films. I can't envision George Lucas, Quentin Tarantino, Woody Allen, or Martin Scorcese putting in the family values that Howard works into his films. It makes one think of the films from the early days of Hollywood, such as "Its a Wonderful Life" or "The Grapes of Wrath". Definitely a refreshing change to most of the movies that I've seen recently.

Life is fast! Frequently people who say "it can't be done", are run over by people doing it.

I'm another year older on Memorial Day which falls on my birthday this year. A few months ago, I thought that I was given the senior citizens discount at Long John Silver's. As it turns out, I was wearing a State Farm employee badge and they also have a State Farm discount which they ring up on the same 10% off key used for senior citizens. I feel completely vindicated. I can continue to live in denial that I don't look a day older than when I graduated from college. Although I did recently mildly sprain my ankle, just by walking. That could be a sign. Oh, well. At least I still have most of my hair and most of it is not gray.

I saw the new Star Wars movie on Saturday. It's probably the best one since the very first episode in 1977. The original is hard to beat, because Han Solo, Princess Leia, and Luke Skywalker were such great characters and Harrison Ford and Carrie Fischer were perfect for their roles. This last movie has great special effects, but it mostly just ties up all the loose ends in the plot. There's not a lot of human interaction. Its sad to think that in such an advanced galaxy, no one can figure out how to wage peace. As Yoda said, "Failed, I did".

Where does the time go? It goes by fast, that's for sure. It reminds me of a girl that I used to know, who was so fast, her parents installed a speed bump in her bedroom.
*
The author of the "Dilbert" comic strip, recently wondered whether perhaps time somehow bends back into itself. That would mean that everything we do today will repeat itself every few hundred billion years, endlessly without stop. Next time, I'll have to remember not to buy that Dodge Aspen.
*
One of my favorite Jim Croce songs has the line "if I could save time in a bottle". That would be cool. Any time that you need a little extra time, you could just pop open the bottle and pour some out. It would definitely take some of the stress out of deadlines.
*
Well, I'm outta time. Watch out for those speed bumps.

Come, fill the Cup, and in the Fire of Spring
The Winter Garment of Repentance fling:
The Bird of Time has but a little way
To fly--and Lo! the Bird is on the Wing.
---
---Rubiyat of Omar Khayyam by Edward Fitzgerald
---

Well the Illini were a little off, but they made a valiant effort to beat North Carolina. If they hadn't had such a horrendous first half, there's no doubt that they would have won. 37-2. Great season, Illini! You put the fight back in Fighting Illini.

The Illini are 37-1 after beating Louisville on Saturday. Tonight they play the second best team in the country, North Carolina. Ironically, North Carolina won the title in 1993 when I was at the tournament in New Orleans. This is probably the best Illinois team since the Whiz Kids of '42,'43. (They were called the Whiz Kids after the announcer Jack Brickhouse commented on how they would whiz past you.) Unfortunately, the Whiz Kids never got a shot at the national title because 3 of the starters were drafted for World War II and the remaining players decided to skip the tournament. Win or Lose, both Illinois and North Carolina should be proud of the seasons they've had. They're all champions in my book; as were the guys in '43 who served their country.

The Lord is my Rock,
and my Fortress,
and my Deliverer;
My God, My Strength,
In Whom I will Trust.
Psalm 18:2
***
Happy Easter!

Illinois 90 - Arizona 89. Unbelievable! The Illini were down by 15 late in the game and outscore the Wildcats 20 to 5 forcing overtime. They then go up by 6 before holding onto a 1 point win, with Arizona shooting an airball at the buzzer.
Definitely one the greatest come from behind wins in basketball history. I don't know whether Illinois will win their next two games. They may have used up all their luck tonight, but it's great to see them in the Final Four. I think that they've proven that they deserved to be ranked #1 the last seventeen weeks. Go Illini!!!

Illinois
"Illinois Loyalty"

We're loyal to you Illinois,
We're "Orange and Blue," Illinois,
We'll back you so stand
'Gainst the best in the land,
For we know you have sand, Illinois,
Rah! Rah!
So crack out that ball Illinois,
We're backing you all Illinois;
Our team is our fame protector,
On! boys, for we expect a vict'ry from you Illinois!

Che-he! Che-ha! Che-ha-ha-ha!
Go Illini go!
Che-he! Che-ha! Che-ha-ha-ha!
Go Illini go!
Illinois! Illinois! Illinois!

Fling out that dear old flag of Orange and Blue,
Lead on your sons and daughters, fighting for you;
Like men of old, on giants placing reliance, shouting defiance
Oskee wow-wow!
Amid the broad green plains that nourish our land,
For honest Labor and for Learning we stand,
And unto thee we pledge our heart and hand,
Dear Alma Mater Illinois.

Happy St Paddy's Day!

May the road rise to meet you
May the wind be always at your back
The sun shine warm upon your face
The rains fall soft upon your fields
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the hollow of his hand.
***an Irish blessing